ROI Friends

Become a friend of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters

The friends of the ROI program will offer you the opportunity to keep up-to-date with the Institute via newsletters, painting days and ROI master classes held around the country. As a friend you will be supporting the society in its remit to encourage and promote the oil medium within the field of contemporary art. There is an annual subscription of £30. For your subscription :

You will receive the ROI Newsletter

The chance to participate in regional workshops at a reduced rate

Priority booking on all workshops

Reduced rates for regional Masterclass sessions

A chance to meet and work with members of the ROI

Visits to Members’ studios

Free admission and catalogue to the Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition

ROI workshops at the Mall Galleries – 2018

Monday 30th April 2018 ‘Non precious drawing workshop’ with Tony Merrick ROI
11.00 am – 3.00pm with lunch break from 12.30 – 1.30
This workshop will promote a rigorous but playful and non-precious approach to drawing with charcoal using still life objects and a game of musical easels!
Places limited to 10.

Wednesday 30th May 2018 Portrait painting with Julia Hawkins AROI
Covering most practical aspects of tackling this complex subject including preliminary sketching, arranging your palette, colour evaluation, the impasto technique and the problem of likeness.
There will be a small charge to cover model’s fees.

Thursday 31st May Outdoor oil sketch with Julia Hawkins AROI
This plein air day will be held at the Thames river bank. Making the right choice of composition, using your sketchbook, selecting your colour palette and successfully advancing in the chosen subject. Julia has extensive experience of painting in the open air and in all weathers, and this workshop will benefit experienced as well as novice painters.

Wednesday 27th June Figure painting from the model with Philip James ROI
In oils, acrylic and watercolour.
Techniques of observation and interpretation. The dynamic of pose, weight and balance, movement and description.
10.30 am to 4.00 pm with lunch from 1.00 – 2.00
£15 for Friends of the ROI

Thursday 19th July The secret life of objects with Philip James ROI
Table top setting with work in oil, acrylic and watercolour. Aspects of composition, arrangement and treatment of subjects. Detail, observation, the play of shadow.
10.30 am to 4.00 pm with lunch from 1.00 – 2.00
£15 for Friends of the ROI

Monday 24th September Painting a portrait with Philip James ROI
Working from a model. Methods of observation and description. Mapping the human, noting character and individuality.The structure of features, balance and weight of the body.
10.30 am to 4.00 pm with lunch from 1.00 – 2.00
£15 for Friends of the ROI

Tuesday 25th September Finishing the portrait with Philip James ROI
Detail to finish the portrait. Selective focus. Refining eyes, mouth, jaw, hair, clothes. A final assessment with individual critiques.
10.30 am to 4.00 pm with lunch from 1.00 – 2.00
£15 for Friends of the ROI

All places for workshops must be booked in advance. Please contact Haidee-Jo to book your place on any or all of these workshops by email here.

ROI Friends events 2018 – let’s get together!

Wednesday 4th July Summer plein air day with members of the ROI including Tim Benson, Adebanji Alade, Haidee-Jo Summers, John Walsom, Julia Hawkins and more…
Central London riverside venue to be announced nearer the time
Picnic, painting together and fun!

Sunday 29th July Painting day at Morston Quay, Norfolk with ROI members Brian Ryder, David Curtis, David Pilgrim and Graham Webber on hand to help you set up and see your work through to completion, This is a tutored day rather than a plein air paint out, arranged in conjunction with the IEA (Institute of East Anglian artists) and there will be a small charge of £35 for Friends of the ROI. Also open to non members/friends £60.

Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th September Suffolk farm painting weekend. Camping/caravanning and shepherds huts on site, or stay locally in B&Bs. There is a wealth of material to paint on the farm and we all gather around the campfire for dinner on the Saturday evening. Lunches also catered for. A small charge for meals and on site accommodation.

Please reserve a space at any of the plein air events by emailing Haidee-Jo here